Politico: The pause in arms supplies came as a surprise even to Trump's allies
The Pentagon's decision to halt the supply of certain types of weapons to Ukraine has surprised even those usually well-informed on such matters, including members of Congress, State Department officials, and key European allies. This was reported by Politico, citing six sources familiar with the situation.
Allies of US President Donald Trump were disappointed by this move and accused Pentagon officials of pushing the decision without proper coordination within the US president's administration.
The pause was prompted by the Pentagon's director of political affairs, Elbridge Colby, and a small circle of advisors, due to concerns that certain US weapons stocks were being depleted.
"I think this was all done by the Director of Policy at the Department of Defense, this Colby. We don't really have a National Security Advisor. I'm not even sure that [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio was consulted on this issue. There are internal disagreements in the White House," said Republican Representative Michael McCaul.
Sources confirmed to the publication that Pentagon leadership did not consult with the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, or the team of the special envoy for Ukraine , Keith Kellogg , before recalling a batch of critical weapons that were already in Poland.
The White House and the State Department denied claims that the suspension of arms supplies caught administration officials by surprise.
Colby stated that the claim that the decision was unexpected was "an attempt to portray a division that does not exist."
- On July 2, it became known that the Pentagon had suspended the supply of some air defense missiles and other precision-guided munitions to Ukraine due to concerns that US arsenals had become too small.
- On the same day, commenting on this decision, the US Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, stated that the United States must ensure that it has sufficient weapons in reserve.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that consultations are ongoing between Ukraine and the United States regarding the supply of American military aid, including air defense missiles.
